WEST BAY — One local teenager is spending his summer vacation collecting polo shirts for needy children.

Dailen Spencer believes better clothing will help boost self-esteem for homeless children. His organization, Shirts for Students, has donated hundreds of shirts to orphanages.

“I’ve seen kids show up in classrooms in public schools and there are kids there who are much more privileged,” said the 17-year-old. “I could definitely tell that when they are in the classrooms, that they are not embarrassed, but wish they had that opportunity to wear (better) clothes.”

His organization started around January of last year, he said.

As of now, he has few members: Spencer and his mother. However, through Facebook and social networking, several people have gotten on board.

“We created the Facebook page … and I just started calling all of my friends and asked, ‘Hey, do you have any extra shirts? Do you know anyone who has extra shirts?’ ” Spencer said. “And it just took off from there.”

Spencer recently was awarded a $1,000 Kohl’s scholarship through Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program, to which, he noted, he was glad to receive but had no intention of gathering shirts for the sake of being awarded the scholarship.

The rising senior at McCallie Private School for Boys in Chattanooga, Tenn. plans to attend the University of Florida and study medicine.

“I’m still going to do it after I graduate,” Spencer said. “I hope it grows; I hope more people get involved.”

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